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Marcus Aurelius : a guide for the perplexed / William O. Stephens.

by Stephens, William O., 1962-

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New York : Continuum, ©2012.

Marcus Aurelius, Emperor of Rome, 121-180.

Marcus Aurelius, Emperor of Rome, 121-180. Meditations.

9781441108104 (paperback) :

1441108106 (paperback)

Guides for the perplexed.

xiv, 191 pages : illustrations, map ; 22 cm.

1. The man, the Emperor, the thinker -- The man -- Judging a book by its title -- The family and boyhood of "Truest" -- The philosopher-prince -- The early reign -- A stoic at war -- Father and son -- The thinker -- 2. The influence of Heraclitus and Epictetus -- Heraclitus -- The divine law of logos -- Sleeping, waking, remembering -- Harmony of opposites -- River -- Flux, fire, and fortitude -- Epictetus -- Plato's Socrates as a Stoic hero -- Mighty mind and beastly body -- Death's door -- The theater of life -- 3. Wholes and parts -- Simple mereology -- The parts of a person -- Cosmic holism -- Death harmlessly transforms -- Limbs of the social body -- The bees and the hive -- What, then, is the Good of the individual citizen? -- 4. Time, transience, and eternity -- The rushing river of existence -- All that happens happened before -- Time quickly erases -- The gift of the present -- You can't lose what you don't have -- 5. Virtues, vices, and junk -- Determine its nature, substance, cause, purpose, and duration -- Stupid, paltry, decaying, putrid, filthy, vile, contemptible, worthless junk -- Ashes, bones, and moke -- What in us should we prize? -- The task of philosophy -- Goodness is your Job: perfect your character -- Justice and reverence, injustice and blasphemy -- The self-cleaning spring and the all-consuming fire -- What is owed to others.

This book is an introduction to the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus. His one major surviving work, often titled 'meditations' but literally translated as 'to himself', is a series of short, reflections divided into twelve books and written only to be read by him. His thoughts are burdened with the responsibilities of ruling an entire empire. The author explores Marcus Aurelius' upbringing, family relations, rise to the throne, military campaigns, and legacy, situating his philosophy amidst his life and times, and examining themes in the Memoranda.

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